About Bossier Parish

Bossier Parish
is located on the east side of the Red River in northwest Louisiana and the
river is the western boundary of the parish. Bossier Parish is bordered on the
north by the state of Arkansas, to the south by Red River Parish and Webster
Parish on the east.

According to
the Census Bureau, Bossier Parish has a total of 867 square miles, 840 square
miles of which is land and 27 square miles of water. Bossier Parish is home to
Barksdale Air Force Base, home of the Eighth Air Force and Air Force Global
Strike Command.

On February 24,
1843, Bossier Parish was created when the state government carved an area from
Claiborne Parish. The parish was named for General Pierre Evariste John
Baptiste Bossier, a general in the state militia and a cotton and sugar planter
on his plantation, Live Oaks, located on the Cane River.

Bossier, who
was born in Natchitoches in 1797, was a member of the Louisiana state senate
from 1833-1843 and served in the U.S. House of Representatives in the Fourth
Congressional District from March, 1843 until his death in Washington, D.C. one year later.

Since 1888,
Benton has been the parish seat of Bossier Parish. The first center of parish
government was Freedonia, which was renamed Society Hill and then Bellevue. In
1850, the first official census showed the population of Bossier Parish to be
6,952. Bossier Parish now shows a population of 126,345 and is considered one
of the fastest growing areas in the state.

Benton’s first
courthouse was constructed in 1890 after the parish police jury finally
promulgated results of an earlier election that designated the town as parish
seat. The existing parish courthouse, which is the fifth building in parish
history, was constructed at a cost of $2.5 million and opened in 1972.

A major
project, that cost $28 million and featured an additional 81,760 square feet
and a 103,968 square foot renovation to the courthouse, was funded by a half-cent
sales tax approved by voters in 2000. Police jury members have approved
additional work on the courthouse entrance.

Major
employers include Barksdale Air Force Base and the Bossier Parish School Board.
Barksdale Air Force Base is growing its military presence, which has
correspondingly increased the number of defense contracts. Four casinos: Harrah's
Horseshoe Casino and Hotel/Harrah's Louisiana Downs, Diamond Jacks Casino and
Hotel, Boomtown Casino Hotel, and Margaritaville Resort Casino also rank as
leading employers in the parish.

Bossier Parish
boasts a strong education system with 20 elementary schools, six middle schools
and six high schools serving more than 21,600 students. Bossier schools are
recognized throughout the state as superior in academics and athletics.

In addition to
strong elementary and secondary educational opportunities, Bossier Parish is
also home to Bossier Parish Community College, one of the fastest growing
two-year institutions in the state.

Technology is key to the future and the Cyber
Innovation Center, located east of Bossier City on U.S. Hwy. 80, is playing a
major role. The Cyber Innovation Center was prominently recognized by the White
House for its contributions to expanding computer science in K-12 schools and
supporting the professional development of computer science, cyber, and science,
technology, engineering and math (STEM) teachers across the country.

And, the CIC
has partnered with Louisiana Tech University to form the Louisiana Tech
Research Institute to help accelerate 21st century research and
economic growth.